CAB210 User Experience Fundamentals
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | CAB210 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | IFB103 or INB103 or ITD103 or INB182 or EGB100 or ENB100 or EGB101 or IGB120 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,037 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,828 |
| International unit fee | $4,560 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2023, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | CAB210 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | IFB103 or INB103 or ITD103 or INB182 or EGB100 or ENB100 or EGB101 |
| Coordinator: | Bernd Ploderer | b.ploderer@qut.edu.au |
Overview
User experience (UX) means how a person feels when interacting with digital technology, like mobile applications, web services and games. This unit introduces user experience methods to study people’s needs in a real-world context, and to evaluate the usability and experience with technologies.
This unit is important to inform the design and development of technologies that meet the needs of people who are going to use them and the context within which they will be used. A stronger understanding of user experience will provide students with an edge in the market place for jobs such as interaction designers, usability engineers, game designers, app developers, information architects, and user experience designers.
This unit builds on the design thinking skills developed in IFB103, and it provides the foundation for advanced interaction design skills through unit CAB310.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply established user experience (UX) methods to study people in a real-world context.
- Collaborate with others in a team to define technology design specifications from real-world insights
- Evaluate the usability and user experience of interactive technology and be aware of the strength and limitations of your evaluation.
- Conduct user experience research in an ethical and honest manner
- Create professional deliverables through reports, presentations and visual media.
Content
Students will be introduced to user experience (UX) methods and concepts in addition to basic principles of usability and human-centered design. Students will learn different evaluation techniques focused on expert, participant-based and in-situ evaluations.
This unit aims to give you a broad understanding of the important issues, topics and paradigms in designing interactive systems. Current and emerging interactive technologies are discussed, including the web, mobile and tangible computing. The unit addresses both the existing and the new 'uncharted' user experience design challenges using a practical and collaborative approach.
Learning Approaches
This unit is available for you to study in either on-campus or online mode. You can on average expect to spend 10 hours per week involved in preparing for and attending scheduled classes, preparing and completing assessment tasks as well as independent study and consolidation of your learning.
A variety of teaching modes will be used in CAB210. These include online lectures, workshops, group work and independent learning. The topics for each week will be available on Canvas. Information available on Canvas includes lecture slides, workshop activities, readings and assessment information. More detail on lecture topics can be found in the recommended readings. It is expected that you will attend lectures and workshops. After the lecture and workshop, you should (in your own time) study and reflect on the material presented. This will verify your understanding of the material. If something is not understood, check with any tutor or lecturer associated with this unit either by email or during their normal consultation times. The workshops will follow the lecture and are designed to reinforce your understanding of the content. Assessment focusses on skill development in interaction design critique, design and evaluation.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback and guidance is principally provided to groups and individuals through the workshop sessions. Criteria sheet grading will be undertaken. A summary of whole class feedback comments will be given after the first and second assessment and exemplars of good work will be discussed in the lecture. Peer review of assessment items will also be conducted in a structured workshop session. Feedback will be received on assessment tasks prior to the submission of the next task.
Assessment
Overview
The assessment in this unit is based on a user experience project in a real-world context. The project consists of 3 interconnected parts: (1) a research proposal; (2) a report to present research findings; (3) a usability and user experience evaluation of a technology prototype. Modelling real-world user experience practice, assignments will be communicated through a combination of presentations, reports, and videos.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: User Experience Research Proposal
The aim of this assessment is to prepare a detailed proposal to study people and technologies in a real-world context. The proposal will contain a research plan, research instruments (e.g., interview guide, diary instructions), and ethics documents (participant information sheet, consent form). The proposal will be presented during the workshop.
Assessment: User Experience Research
Based on your research proposal, the aim of this assessment is to conduct user experience research and to present your outcomes as a report. The report will contain detailed insights into the problems and needs experienced by people in a real-world context, as well as specifications to inform the design and implementation of interactive technology. The report will be approximately 2500-3000 words long. Teamwork will be reviewed through individual peer assessment.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: User Experience Evaluation
The aim of this assessment is to evaluate the usability and user experience with an existing website, mobile app, or prototype, and to generate suggestions from improving the design. For this assignment you need to recruit 2 participants who give written consent to participate. The evaluation will be presented through a 6-9-minute video that highlights usability and user experience issues and recommendations for re-designing the technology.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
The following references are recommended and available through QUT library. You are not required to purchase them.
No extraordinary charges or costs are associated with the requirements for this unit.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Goodman, E., Kuniavsky, M. and Moed, A. (2012). Observing the User Experience: A Practitioner's Guide to User Research. Morgan-Kauffmann.
Greenberg, S. (2012). Sketching User Experiences: The Workbook Morgan Kaufmann.
Sharp, H., Preece, J., Rogers, Y. (2019). Interaction Design: beyond human-computer interaction. (5th edition) New York, NY: Wiley.
Risk Assessment Statement
There is minimal health and safety risk in this unit. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the Health and Safety policies and procedures applicable within campus areas and laboratories.
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2023, Online
| Unit code: | CAB210 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | IFB103 or INB103 or ITD103 or INB182 or EGB100 or ENB100 or EGB101 |
Overview
User experience (UX) means how a person feels when interacting with digital technology, like mobile applications, web services and games. This unit introduces user experience methods to study people’s needs in a real-world context, and to evaluate the usability and experience with technologies.
This unit is important to inform the design and development of technologies that meet the needs of people who are going to use them and the context within which they will be used. A stronger understanding of user experience will provide students with an edge in the market place for jobs such as interaction designers, usability engineers, game designers, app developers, information architects, and user experience designers.
This unit builds on the design thinking skills developed in IFB103, and it provides the foundation for advanced interaction design skills through unit CAB310.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Apply established user experience (UX) methods to study people in a real-world context.
- Collaborate with others in a team to define technology design specifications from real-world insights
- Evaluate the usability and user experience of interactive technology and be aware of the strength and limitations of your evaluation.
- Conduct user experience research in an ethical and honest manner
- Create professional deliverables through reports, presentations and visual media.
Content
Students will be introduced to user experience (UX) methods and concepts in addition to basic principles of usability and human-centered design. Students will learn different evaluation techniques focused on expert, participant-based and in-situ evaluations.
This unit aims to give you a broad understanding of the important issues, topics and paradigms in designing interactive systems. Current and emerging interactive technologies are discussed, including the web, mobile and tangible computing. The unit addresses both the existing and the new 'uncharted' user experience design challenges using a practical and collaborative approach.
Learning Approaches
This unit is available for you to study in either on-campus or online mode. You can on average expect to spend 10 hours per week involved in preparing for and attending scheduled classes, preparing and completing assessment tasks as well as independent study and consolidation of your learning.
A variety of teaching modes will be used in CAB210. These include online lectures, workshops, group work and independent learning. The topics for each week will be available on Canvas. Information available on Canvas includes lecture slides, workshop activities, readings and assessment information. More detail on lecture topics can be found in the recommended readings. It is expected that you will attend lectures and workshops. After the lecture and workshop, you should (in your own time) study and reflect on the material presented. This will verify your understanding of the material. If something is not understood, check with any tutor or lecturer associated with this unit either by email or during their normal consultation times. The workshops will follow the lecture and are designed to reinforce your understanding of the content. Assessment focusses on skill development in interaction design critique, design and evaluation.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback and guidance is principally provided to groups and individuals through the workshop sessions. Criteria sheet grading will be undertaken. A summary of whole class feedback comments will be given after the first and second assessment and exemplars of good work will be discussed in the lecture. Peer review of assessment items will also be conducted in a structured workshop session. Feedback will be received on assessment tasks prior to the submission of the next task.
Assessment
Overview
The assessment in this unit is based on a user experience project in a real-world context. The project consists of 3 interconnected parts: (1) a research proposal; (2) a report to present research findings; (3) a usability and user experience evaluation of a technology prototype. Modelling real-world user experience practice, assignments will be communicated through a combination of presentations, reports, and videos.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: User Experience Research Proposal
The aim of this assessment is to prepare a detailed proposal to study people and technologies in a real-world context. The proposal will contain a research plan, research instruments (e.g., interview guide, diary instructions), and ethics documents (participant information sheet, consent form). The proposal will be presented during the workshop.
Assessment: User Experience Research
Based on your research proposal, the aim of this assessment is to conduct user experience research and to present your outcomes as a report. The report will contain detailed insights into the problems and needs experienced by people in a real-world context, as well as specifications to inform the design and implementation of interactive technology. The report will be approximately 2500-3000 words long. Teamwork will be reviewed through individual peer assessment.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: User Experience Evaluation
The aim of this assessment is to evaluate the usability and user experience with an existing website, mobile app, or prototype, and to generate suggestions from improving the design. For this assignment you need to recruit 2 participants who give written consent to participate. The evaluation will be presented through a 6-9-minute video that highlights usability and user experience issues and recommendations for re-designing the technology.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
The following references are recommended and available through QUT library. You are not required to purchase them.
No extraordinary charges or costs are associated with the requirements for this unit.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Goodman, E., Kuniavsky, M. and Moed, A. (2012). Observing the User Experience: A Practitioner's Guide to User Research. Morgan-Kauffmann.
Greenberg, S. (2012). Sketching User Experiences: The Workbook Morgan Kaufmann.
Sharp, H., Preece, J., Rogers, Y. (2019). Interaction Design: beyond human-computer interaction. (5th edition) New York, NY: Wiley.
Risk Assessment Statement
There is minimal health and safety risk in this unit. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the Health and Safety policies and procedures applicable within campus areas and laboratories.